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重点 (zhòng diǎn) — (noun) main point, key point, focus; (adverb) with emphasis, focusing on, as a priority

Definition

重点 (zhòngdiǎn) names the main point or what to focus on; it can also work like an adverb meaning 'with emphasis' (e.g. 重点学习). Lighter and more general than 关键, which stresses something is decisive/crucial.

noun
main pointkey pointfocus
adverb
with emphasisfocusing onas a priority
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 重点？
    Zhè cì kǎo shì de zhòng diǎn shì shén me?
    What is the main point of this exam?
  • 重点。
    Wǒ men yào zhòng diǎn xué xí yǔ fǎ.
    We need to focus on studying grammar.
  • 重点。
    Tā shuō de zhòng diǎn wǒ dōu jì zhù le.
    I remembered all the key points he said.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

重zhòngimportant
点diǎnpoint

重点 joins 重 'important' and 点 'point' to mean the key point or main focus.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
人人rénman
Sound part声符shēngfú
東
東dōng重zhòng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

重 developed from a picture of a man carrying a bag, with 人 for the man and 東 for the bag; a later ground element was folded into the form.

Open 重 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 點; 点 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
黑黑hēiblack
Sound part声符shēngfú
占
占zhàn點diǎn(r)
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 點 pairs 黑 (black) with 占 for its sound; the simplified 点 is a later abbreviation.

Open 点 →
Appears in
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